Godfrey's Slam Helps #13 Georgia Clinch Series, 9-4
May 25, 2016 | Softball
Official Game Statistics
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Ashley Godfrey's grand slam capped off a six-run second inning for visiting Georgia as the Red and Black rallied for nine-runs in the first three innings of play to clinch its series with homestanding MSU on a 9-4 win in the back end of a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at the MSU Softball Field.
Madison native Tanelda McDonald doubled twice and drove in a run on a 3-for-3 tally at the plate that keyed State's (17-10, 0-2 SEC) 12th double-digit hitting performance of the season. Freshmen Courtney Bures (2-for-4, R) and Lindsay Hunley (2-for-3, R) also turned in multi-hit tallies for the Maroon and White. Godfrey's grand slam * her fourth homer of the season * was the junior's only hit of the game in four trips to the plate for the Red and Black (18-7, 2-0).
Georgia scored nine runs on seven hits off a pair of MSU hurlers, with starter Stephanie Comeaux (6-2) saddling the loss after allowing four runs on four hits and a walk in five outs of work. Sophomore Sara Hickerson - MSU's third pitcher of the contest - allowed one hit over the last four innings of work but got the no decision for MState. Starter Kasi Carroll (5-2) was awarded the victory for UGA despite surrendering four runs on 10 hits.
Godfrey's grand slam was the third allowed by the MSU pitching staff in seven days. Comeaux allowed the first in MSU's win over Troy on March 5 at the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic, while Kelli Miller surrendered the same feat to Ohio State just more than 12 hours later. Rookie Ragan Blake was on the wrong end of Godfrey's blast on Saturday.
"We have to come in and compete and we didn't do that," said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. "You need to be ready to go when you are called upon. I was real proud of Sara today. She came in after struggling last weekend and gave us an opportunity to get back in the game by shutting them down. She worked hard all week and I think today was a good sign for her."
Georgia utilized a fielding error and an RBI single from Megan McAllister to take a quick lead, but MSU answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning after lax fielding by the Red and Black defense. Katie Cooley reached with one out in the bottom of the frame after a mental miscue by catcher Charvi Greer allowed her to reach on a passed ball. State would later get an RBI double from McDonald to knot the game back up heading to the second.
Carroll and Courtney Knight each reached safely with two outs in the second, before Jessica Gilmore snagged the lead back for Georgia on a two-run double to the gap in right field that chased Comeaux from the circle. Blake issued free passes to the next two batters for Georgia to juice the bases and set the table for Godfrey's blast over the scoreboard in left field.
State would get an RBI single from Cooley and a two-run double from Bures in its half of the second to cut its deficit to three runs, 7-4, but the Red and Black posted two more runs in the third on Knight's double and Gilmore's sac fly.
State will look to salvage its series with Georgia Sunday afternoon when the squads meet in the series finale at the MSU Softball Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and the game can be heard live on WMSV 91.1 with Anthony Craven handling the play-by-play duties.
